Robert Pires believes that Arsene Wenger will sign the new contract on offer to him by the club, but also that the Arsenal manager has to change ‘many things; if he does so.
The will-he, won’t-he saga is adding to the air of uncertainty around the club, and the former Invincible seems confident that the 67 will continue.
Speaking to Cadena SER radio, he said, “In my opinion, he will renew his contract, at least for one season. He is motivated and willing.
“Arsene has an offer on the table. He has to sign it. He has the backing of the owner. The fans want to win the title and Arsenal are not doing that well. They are in the FA Cup semi-finals.
“He has to continue and if he does, he needs to change many things. That is the most important thing for him and for Arsenal.
“We will see what happens.”
Quite what changes he might make are unclear, but the addition of a Sporting/Football Director might well be one of them, and Pires has already expressed his desire to fulfil that role.
Speaking last year, he said, “I want to give back to Arsenal everything it gave me. I have become ambassador at the club. The next step would be to become a sporting director, that what I want and Arsène knows it.”
Of course results will still dictate a lot, and the Gunners need to get back to winning ways again soon, starting with Man City on Sunday.
It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if other names from the past were mentioned as part of a back-room overhaul should Wenger continue, but let’s see what happens on the pitch first.
Never any disrepect to Pires but maybe we should be going for an experienced Sporting Director
If the job of a director of football is to act as an intermediary between the manager and the board – to relieve pressure on the manager – by handling aspects away from day-to-day coaching, thus allowing a manager to focus on on-pitch performance, then there’s no reason why Pires can’t be that guy.
Pressure? What pressure?
The pressure to sign a new contract. Sigh
Director of football is responsible for recruitment.
This is an area Wenger excels in and Pires has little experience.
What Wenger has really needed is a proper assistant who can weigh in on tactics. Somewhat akin to Carlos Queiroz with Fergie. Bould isn’t it clearly, not even a hairdryer.
Nor Pires. He (and many other ex Arsenal greats) simply need to have practical experience running clubs and managing first.
Would be a silly move.
“Robert Pires believes that Arsene Wenger will sign the new contract on offer to him by the club”- Arseblog.
If true it means that the club have offered Wenger a contract and wait with baited breath to find out if they will be making our customary annual exit in the UCL Rd of 16 or not.
I would be very happy for us to just be in the UCL next season. At the moment it looks pretty unlikely
we signed Ben Wigglesworth (silly name I know) last summer. He was the scout responsible for Leicester. Someone like him could have better potential developing into a Director of football. BUT this also depends on the incoming successor. Many times, chemistry being importnat, the new gaffer may have preference to have his own pick. Which is why as i mentioned, the Board is doing the right thing. No need to make this decision yet. firstly we have to see where the cards will lay with Wenger. If he should hold for another season to transition and negotiate a potentially tricky… Read more »
I like Bobby. I like him A LOT.
One of the biggest mistake Wenger made with his rule to not offer a 2 year contract to anyone over 30! We’re talking about King Pires here…
Stupid quest maybe – has a former player ever been a successful director of football at his former club? If the response to this question is no or rarely, then we shouldn’t get too excited.
I think Zidane was the director of football for a while and did OK at RM but I don’t know of any others…
Almost all Bayern sporting directors are former players as well.
I read that Lahm is going to be Bayerns next sporting director. Sammer was sporting director at Dortmund before he joined Bayer.
*Bayern
Butraguenao also at Real.
to be fair, I could be the Sporting Director of Real Madrid and Bayern and do a good job…
No, you couldn’t. It is a political and PR post for all top clubs. Never as easy as it seems!
Txiki Bergisristain is the most famous example – won a bunch of titles at Barcelona before becoming their sporting director during the golden era a few years ago. There’s a history in American sports (I realize it’s different but still a decent template) of it working – which Kroenke will be familiar with.
Brian Marwood didn’t/hasn’t done a bad job at Man City
PSG had a pretty good one until he threw a punch in the tunnel a few years ago. He’s the one who recruited Thiago Silva, Zlatan, etc. when they started up their project.
Overmars at Ajax, Edu at Corinthians, Leonardo at PSG. I’m not saying Bobby would be good or bad at the job, but it’s certainly a position a lot of ex-players in their late 30s/early 40s are doing.
Change? What is this “change” you speak of?
If he signs a 2 year deal, I get the feeling that no matter what he will extend again in 2019, then probably retire. As much as he has been a legend for Arsenal, his methods are dated and his tactics are being out-manoeuvered. We are a bigger club because of him, but we’re not reliant on him. Of course he should be highly regarded, but not to the point of being untouchable at the club. He is always one defeat away from criticism, but that is going to happen because he has been at Arsenal so long that he… Read more »
Absolutely spot on!
I think he will sign more likely a one plus one deal.
Chiefly it will be to transition the club to a takeover 2018.
That is of course proviso this season is not an unmitigated disaster (Out of top 4)
agreed. accountability is important. nobody at arsenal seems to have that at this moment. everybody talks the talk but nothing changes on the field . i dont even think wenger will change next year too. i have never seen this club change in a decade unless someone bought our best player. people like pochettino and conte changes formations multiple times every game and wenger hasnt changed the formation in years . he never criticizes the players or bench poor players . what change are we then talking about. has never changed tactics and no longer able to motivate players .… Read more »
I don’t think any of the ex players you mention (bar maybe Keown) will have a crucial impact. Bergkamp maybe for tactics but still none of them have had much success as managers. Its easy to pontificate and snipe from the sidelines like we do but managing a football club is way more organic. As Gary Neville found out, it isn’t as easy (Kudos to him at least in putting his money where his mouth was) I think its a massive and myopic mistake to feel that an ex- great player for the club is essential for the team be… Read more »
Why are your posts so long,bear in mind my username
If people think there are going to be big changes at Arsenal if Wenger stays then they are as deluded as he is. He is 67 years old and has surrounded himself with sycophantic yes men for years. Nothing will change. This is not about seeing Arsenal progress or develop or giving the fans something to cheer about and celebrate. Its about satisfying the ego of someone who has ruled the club as a dictatorship. This uncertainty has unsettled the players and wound up the fans and was instigated by Wenger himself to ensure that he was once again at… Read more »
He won’t change terribly. He’s an idealist. However there are reasons to suggest retaining him for one season more to put things in order for a better hand over. There is no reason to feel anymore that we have an upside in changing gaffers as we also can potentially face a downside (See Liverpool and United in recent vintage) What we need to be is pragmatic. The board is doing the right thing in assessing the issues closer to end of season because we still have plenty of games to prosecute and we are still playing for the FA cup… Read more »
Yawn! Changes behind the scenes, war chest to spend
The same tired old shit
Nothing will change as he thinks he’s doing a great job
The respect I have for Robert Pires has actually increased. Unlike former players like Podolski with the “Wenger is Arsenal” claptrap, Robert Pires has stated the obvious. Big, big changes are needed. He respects Wenger too much to go the whole hog, but the subtext is clear. We’ve been waiting for him to snap out of top-four mode and enter title challenge mode since the FA Cups wins. Wenger has already tried everything in his locker. As time has shown, we expected too much of him. With this statement, Robert Pires lays down more of a challenge to Wenger than… Read more »
Arsene won’t change. That’s obvious. Sure there might be a lot of talk, but when it comes down to brass tacks, it will be the same manager making the same decisions and the same mistakes that we’ve witnessed year after year after year. We’re kidding ourselves if we think things will be different. While you may regard this stability as good, several of the key arguments made by those who wish to keep Wenger, such as his record of attaining Top 4, look to be going this season too. Should we lose the FA Cup semi final, as I expect… Read more »
Why does Wenger have to continue?
I would like someone to provide a sensible reason why they think he deserves another contract.
His success was twelve years ago and how many managers have come and gone elsewhere who have delivered more success than he has.
Pires is right – there needs to be change but he does not need to be Wenger delivering it because we know he wont…
He does not have to continue. I think the proof in the pudding is this coming match up with City for both league and FA cup. The team is in dire form at the moment. IF Wenger feels he cannot turn it around over next 2 matches, he may throw in the towel. BUT I think it also depends how we end the season. IF we make the MINIMUM (4th spot and CL again for 22 years) AND perhaps the FA cup, there may be reason to recommend he continues proviso : 1)we do not find the right successor this… Read more »
The other thing of course is we face a potentially tricky summer again thanks to our poor showing this season. If we have to face two key departures (Ozil and Alexis), it may be beneficial to have the experience and know how of Wenger in market to at least put things right and build for the next incumbent. Like him or not tactically, Wenger is one of the best in the market buying players. So if he stays to at least reconstruct the team over the summer and has a tenure (with low expectations) into 2018, it may be useful… Read more »
Because Arsenal is neither M. City nor Chelsea to spend 300m per summer to sort out their squads. Because his input at this club is so overwhelming that if he leaves now it could all collapse as he fulfills 4-5 different roles Because you may think he is past it but the actual professionals of the industry (minus haters obviously) regard him highly Because he is a club Legend and no matter how much it hurts to lose in pathetic manner against watford, as a human being, i can not bring myself to abuse him and drive him out like… Read more »
With you 100%
Who’s gonna tell him he should change? The boards? Our boards are crap, i dont know what they are doing. Owner? He doesn’t give a fuck. Fans? Maybe, How? Socmed looks not effective, by protest, some of our fans think it’s disrespect. Former players? Our last hope, but they kinda goody two shoes.
For all of Wenger’s loyalty to shield his players and the Board, he should extend for another year to ensure there is a proper transition to the next manager.
I feel that for Arsene’s contribution to Arsenal and to English football, he would have been knighted (by now) for his services had he been British. Yet the media are taking potshots at him, because he is an ‘easy’ target. Truly hope we’ll get something out of the FA Cup or our season will really be done.
Wenger out Sam Allardyce In!
Surely Brian Marwood has the credentials to work with Wenger to modernise the structure?